Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., one of the largest and fastest-growing biopharmaceutical companies in the United States, today announced it has hired its 150th employee for its Limerick facility, as it completes its first of a multi-year construction and development programme for the site.The over $300 million investment in a biopharmaceutical production facility within an 11.88 hectare site at Raheen Business Park, Regeneron's first facility outside the United States, is on track to commence operations in 2016.

In addition to the 150 full-time staff in place already, the site is expected to see employment rise to over 300 people including scientists, engineers, technicians and administrative personnel. Already, 1,200 construction personnel have worked on-site over the course of the past year.

Key milestones in the progress on site to date include:

Over 40 Irish companies involved in the projectPeak personnel working on the project:

1,200Personnel peak in Raheen during construction in one day:

942 people1,626,000 accident-free hours of construction on site:

60 kilometres of pipe installed and

48,000 tonnes of recycled material reused on site

On Recruitment:

Over 150 full-time staff in place

38 percent of current full-time employees from Limerick

76 percent of current full-time employees from Munster

36 percent of the full-time employees studied at the University of Limerick or the Limerick Institute of Technology

Speaking at an event on-site in Limerick to mark the first year of development at the facility, Dan Van Plew, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Industrial Operations and Product Supply (IOPS) at Regeneron, said, "Our approved drugs and robust development pipeline have transformed Regeneron into one of the largest and fastest-growing biopharmaceutical companies in the United States. As our second industrial production site, and the first outside the United States, the Raheen Business Park site will play a prominent role in the future of the company."

Van Plew continued, "We carefully evaluated a number of locations for our first major international expansion before selecting Limerick, and we have been impressed by the positive, can-do attitude of the local community and IDA Ireland, the expertise provided by NIBRT (National Institute for Bioprocessing Research & Training) and the support we have received at every stage of this process. Thank you for the warmth of your welcome and for making us feel at home here in Limerick."

Also speaking at the event, Minister for Finance Michael Noonan said, "Regeneron's investment is a massive boost for Limerick and for the biopharmaceutical sector in Ireland. We are delighted to welcome a leading biopharma company, operating at the cutting-edge of science and innovation, to Raheen. With 150 full-time employees in place, over a third of which are from Limerick or studied in this city, Regeneron has already become a major part of the local economy. We look forward to seeing Regeneron continue to grow and thrive in the years ahead."

Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton TD, speaking from Mumbai where he is leading an IDA Ireland investment mission, said: "Every region in the country is growing employment – though it is growing faster in some regions than in others. At the heart of our jobs plan is accelerating jobs growth in every region of the country. Regeneron's investment in Limerick is a great example of what is possible in the Mid-West – here is a world-leading biopharma company, investing in a manufacturing facility in Limerick, creating 300 permanent jobs and over 1000 construction jobs. This very welcome investment will provide a huge boost to the entire Mid-West region for many years to come."

"Ireland's pharmaceutical industry is one of the country's strongest sectors and when Regeneron's facility is complete, will represent a huge boost to Ireland's overall portfolio," said Martin Shanahan, Chief Executive of the IDA. "Once in operation, Regeneron's facility will be dedicated to the production of biologic medicines, an area Ireland now excels in. The availability of highly trained staff is vital to this growth, and Ireland has a dedicated centre addressing this need – NIBRT (National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training), which provides training to over 3,300 people a year. The milestone of reaching 150 staff in just one year is a huge endorsement of the talent pool available in Limerick and the wider Mid-West region."